Sunday, March 1, 2015

Despite the crescent Moon and some thin cirrus clouds, this is the result of stacking 20 pictures of 45 seconds integration each. Taken with an unmodified Canon 1D MK IV and a zoom EF 70-200 mm F2.8 working at 110mm. In the field of view the Perseus great double cluster, the comet's tail length is about 4 degrees.

Friday, January 9, 2015

Inner comma study of comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy, the Larson Sekanina rotational gradient enhances the many jets of sublimating volatiles. These get ionized by the Solar wind becoming a plasma that gets trapped in the magnetic field lines, as the comet nucleus rotates these plasma streamers form beatiful knots and the comet displays a vivid greenish electric colour.